Tube-style truck body

ABSTRACT

An off-highway truck body comprising a plurality of tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one or two pieces of square tubing, wherein the truck body comprises two sidewalls, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, and wherein one side of each tube-style support member is welded to the outside of the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy. The pieces of square tubing are preferably comprised of steel. The present invention optionally comprises a forward wedged front wall and a side-sloped canopy. The present invention also encompasses a tube-style tailgate and an alternate embodiment in which I-beams are used in lieu of square tubing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/214,129, filed on Aug. 29, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of off-highway truck bodies,and more particularly, to a tube-style truck body with a forward wedgedfront wall and side-sloped canopy.

2. Description of the Related Art

A traditionally built off-highway truck body is comprised of a pluralityof bent steel ribs that form the skeletal structure or framework of thetruck body, and solid steel plates overlying the ribs to form the truckbox or container in which the material is held. The steel ribs areformed by bending flat sheets of steel and then welding them to thesteel plates that form the truck box. These ribs are typically shapedlike a “U” or a “V” with the open side of the “U” or “V” facing inward(attached to the steel plates).

The problem with bent steel ribs is that because they are open on oneside, they do not tend to withstand the bending and twisting thataccompanies the stress that is placed on the truck body during normaloperations. One way to compensate for this stress is to increase thethickness of the steel used to form the bent ribs, which in turnincreases the overall weight of the truck body. In addition, bent ribsare labor-intensive, which adds to the time required to manufacture thetruck body. Because each rib is individually formed, there tends to beinconsistency in shape from one bent rib to another. It is also moredifficult to achieve a solid weld with the bent ribs because of theinconsistency in the weld land.

Furthermore, due to current size restrictions in the press brakes thatare used to form the bent ribs, long structural pieces such as the floorribs cannot be made from one piece of bent steel but rather are formedby more than one bent rib welded end-to-end. The joining of the ribsend-to-end for the longer structural pieces further diminishes thestructural integrity of the truck body and requires added manufacturing.

Another problem addressed by the present invention is the problem ofmaterial accumulation in the front corners of the truck body, where thefront wall meets the floor and sidewalls. In traditional truck bodies,there is a ninety (90)-degree angle between the line formed by thejoinder of the sidewall and the floor and the line formed by the joinderof the floor and front wall (this is illustrated in FIG. 11 below). Thisninety (90)-degree angle can cause material, particularly highlycohesive material, to accumulate in the front corners of the truck body.This accumulation of material not only reduces the volume capacity ofthe truck body, but it also adds weight to the truck body when it isempty.

The present invention also addresses the problem of material retentionon the canopy. With a traditional flat canopy, material tends to sloughonto the canopy during loading. The retention of material on top of thecanopy distorts the weight distribution of the vehicle by placingadditional weight on the front axle. Flat canopies also cause sidespill, as material falls from the canopy during travel. This occurrenceleads to tire abuse and increased maintenance required on roads.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,590 (Feuereisen Azocar, 2003) attempts to alleviatesome of the problems discussed above by providing a truck body with afront wall and floor that are elliptical in shape. This design reducesthe number of beams (or bent ribs) that are required to support thetruck box, thereby the overall weight of the truck body. Thus, thepayload can be increased without exceeding the maximum gross weightallowed. According to the inventors, this design is less expensive tomanufacture than the traditional truck body because fewer beams arerequired. The curved shape of the truck body avoids the concentration ofstrains that would otherwise damage the truck body, and it increases thedischarge speeds of materials due to the non-existence of encounterswith angles. Although attempting to address many of the same problemsinherent in traditional truck bodies, the '590 patent does so in amanner very different than the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,1476 and (Fujan et al., 2003) U.S. PatentApplication Pub. No. 2002/0180241 (Fujan) provide another off-highwaytruck body with a curved floor, curved front wall, curved sidewalls andcurved cab protector (or canopy). According to the inventors, the steelribs that are used to buttress the flat steel plates that form the truckbody are costly and labor-intensive to fabricate and weld in place, theresulting connections are subject to fatigue, and the ribs increase theweight the truck body, thereby lowering the hauling capacity of thevehicle. Rather than developing a better rib, the inventors attempted toreduce or eliminate the need for ribs by providing a truck body that isentirely curved. Unlike the present invention, the canopy is curvedupward, which would tend to retain material, rather than curved orangled downward, which would cause material to fall off of the canopy.

U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0026959 (Kostecki) attempts toalleviate the problem associated with material build-up in the frontcorners of the truck body by providing removable wear plates that areinstalled between one or more of the front wall, side walls and floor.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,790 (Domes, 1965) attempts to solve the problemsassociated with using traditional U-shaped members (or bent ribs) toform the top rails of truck bodies. This invention provides asemi-circular top rail that curves down and over the outside of thesidewall and then is welded to the sidewall. One of the goals of thisinvention was to provide a curved surface that would resist any downwardload applied to the top rail. Other goals were to decrease the number ofparts required to build the top rail and to prevent the loader or shovelfrom inadvertently engaging the top rail during loading operations.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,785 (Coleman et al., 2002) describes a truck bodydesign in which the junction between the floor and the upright panel (orfront wall) is arcuate to facilitate the flow of materials beingdelivered into the dump body during the loading of the body (in otherwords, to direct the materials toward the floor).

U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,171 (Hinds, 2003) describes a way of bolstering thewelded connection between the longitudinal and lateral ribs of atraditionally built truck body. In this invention, the ribs have asubstantially U-shaped cross-section (as described above), which isparticularly susceptible to the stresses associated with loading andunloading. Over time, these stresses can weaken the welds between thelongitudinal and lateral ribs, causing those joints to crack. Theinvention covered by the '171 patent is a particular type of weld jointthat is intended to strengthen the connection between the longitudinaland lateral ribs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an off-highway truck body comprising aplurality of tube-style support members, wherein each tube-style supportmember comprises one or two pieces of square tubing, wherein the truckbody comprises two sidewalls, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, andwherein one side of each tube-style support member is welded to theoutside of the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy. The pieces ofsquare tubing are preferably comprised of steel. Each tube-style supportmember that comprises two pieces of square tubing further comprises acover plate that extends across the top side of the two pieces of squaretubing for the length of the square tubing.

The off-highway truck body of the present invention optionally comprisesa forward wedged front wall, wherein the front wall is wedged forwardsuch that the angle between the line formed by the juncture of thesidewall and floor and the line formed by the juncture of the forwardwedged front wall and floor is greater than ninety (90) degrees and lessthan one hundred eighty (180) degrees. In an alternate embodiment, thetop approximate one-third (⅓) of the front wall is tilted furtherforward (i.e., at a greater angle) than the rest of the front wall.

The off-highway truck body of the present invention optionally comprisesa side-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises two sidesthat are angled downward and a center section that is flat. In analternate embodiment, the side-sloped canopy comprises a peaked centerand four sloped sides, wherein two of the sloped sides are on eitherside of the peaked center, wherein all of the sloped sides are angleddownward, and wherein the two sloped sides farthest from the peakedcenter are sloped at a greater angle than the two sloped sides closestto the peaked center.

The present invention optionally includes a tube-style tailgate, whichcan be used with a tube-style truck body or with a conventional truckbody.

In an alternate embodiment, the truck body of the present invention iscomprised of steel I-beams in lieu of square steel tubing. Thisembodiment provides many of the same advantages as the tube-style truckbody.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the truck body of the present inventioninstalled on a chassis.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the truck body of the present inventiontaken from a right rear perspective.

FIG. 3 is a right rear perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a left front perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the truck body of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the truck body of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the truck body of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a right rear perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention with an alternate embodiment of the front wall.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of theside-sloped canopy with a peaked center section.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a traditional truck body without theforward wedged front wall or side-sloped canopy.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a traditional truck body without the forwardwedged front wall or side-sloped canopy.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view of a bent rib of a traditional truckbody.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of a double-size tube-style supportmember of the truck body of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section view of a single-size tube-style supportmember of the truck body of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the truck body of the present inventioninstalled on a chassis with a tube-style tailgate.

FIG. 16 is a cross-section view of a double-size I-beam-style supportmember of an alternate embodiment of the truck body of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 is a cross-section view of a single-size I-beam-style supportmember of an alternate embodiment of the truck body of the presentinvention.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   -   1 Truck body    -   2 Chassis    -   3 Tube-style support member    -   4 Square tubing    -   5 a Cover plate    -   5 b End plate    -   6 Sidewall    -   7 Top rail cap    -   8 Forward wedged front wall    -   9 Flat front wall    -   10 Floor    -   11 Floor rail assembly    -   12 Side-sloped canopy    -   13 Sloped side of canopy    -   14 Peaked center of canopy    -   15 Flat canopy    -   16 Spill guard    -   17 Bent rib    -   18 Tilted portion of front wall    -   19 Lift cylinder brackets    -   20 Tailgate    -   21 Rear panel of tailgate    -   22 Side panel of tailgate    -   23 I-beam    -   24 I-beam-style support member

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the truck body of the present inventioninstalled on a chassis. This figure shows the truck body 1 and thechassis 2. The truck body 1 comprises a plurality of tube-style supportmembers 3. Each tube-style support member 3 is comprised of one or twopieces of square tubing 4. The former is referred to as a single-sizetube-style support member, and the latter is referred to as adouble-size tube-style support member. If two pieces of square tubing 4are used to form one tube-style support member 3, then a cover plate 5 a(shown in FIG. 2) is welded onto the top of both pieces of square tubing4 to give them the strength and appearance of a single structure.

The number and configuration (i.e., combination of single- anddouble-size tube-style support members) will vary depending on the sizeand strength requirement of the truck body based on the particularapplication involved. The present invention is not limited to anyparticular number or configuration of tube-style support members. Thesquare tubing 4 is preferably made of steel. As shown more clearly inFIG. 2, the truck body 1 optionally comprises a forward wedged frontwall 8 and a side-sloped canopy 12.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the truck body of the present inventiontaken from a right rear perspective. This figure shows the forwardwedged front wall 8 and side-sloped canopy 12, as well as the tube-stylesupport members 3. The tube-style support members 3 optionally compriseend plates 5 b that prevent dirt and debris from lodging inside thepieces of square tubing 4. The sidewalls 6, floor 10, and floor railassembly 11 are also shown. Although not part of the present invention,the sidewalls 6 may be capped with a top rail cap 7. The truck body 1 isattached to the chassis (not shown) by the floor rail assembly 11. Thecanopy optionally includes a spill guard 16, which prevents materialfrom spilling over the front of the truck. This figure also shows thelift cylinder brackets 19, which are not germane to the presentinvention but are shown for accuracy.

The side-sloped canopy 12 comprises two sloped sides 13, which ensurethat no material is retained on the sides of the canopy. The retentionof material on top of the canopy, which occurs with traditional flatcanopies (see FIG. 10), leads to an inaccurate calculation of thepayload and places weight on the front axle that is not taken intoaccount by the manufacturer in determining the optimum axle splits. Overtime, this occurrence can lead to undue strain on the front axle.

The forward wedged front wall allows for a more accurate calculation ofthe vehicle's payload because material that might otherwise accumulateon the canopy is included in the material envelope created by the truckbody. With the side-sloped canopy 12 and forward wedged front wall 8,material that might accumulate on the canopy is sloughed off in theloading area, which is usually consistently maintained, or directeddownward into the truck body 1. In traditional truck bodies with a flatfront wall and flat canopy (see FIG. 10), material that sloughs onto thecanopy during the loading process is often shed on the haul road, whichcan lead to both increased road maintenance and tire damage.

In addition to directing material off of the rear of the canopy, theforward wedged front wall also prevents material from accumulating inthe front corners of the truck body. As noted above, in traditionaltruck bodies, material tends to accumulate in the front corners of thetruck body because there is a ninety (90)-degree angle between the lineformed by the joinder of the floor and sidewall and the line formed bythe joinder of the floor and front wall (see FIG. 11). When this angleis opened up, as with a forward wedged front wall, it is more difficultfor material to bridge the wider angle, and there is less materialaccumulation. The accumulation of material in the front corners of thetruck body decreases the production capacity of the vehicle andeventually requires additional cleaning.

FIG. 3 is a right rear perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention. FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 2, except that the various partsof the truck body are assembled.

FIG. 4 is a left front perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention. This figure shows the forward wedged front wall 8, theside-sloped canopy 12 and spill guard 16, and the tube-style supportmembers 3. It also shows the left sidewall 6, and the floor railassembly 11.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the truck body of the present invention.This figure shows the forward wedged front wall 8, the sidewall 6, andone of the sloped sides 13 of the side-sloped canopy. It also shows thetube-style support members 3 on the outside of the sidewall 6 andunderneath the floor 10 (floor not shown, but tube-style support membersunderneath the floor are shown). In the present invention, thetube-style support members are used on the outside of the sidewalls andfront wall and underneath the floor and canopy.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the truck body of the present invention. Thisfigure shows the tube-style support members 3 on the bottom of the truckbody, as well as the tube-style support members on the outside of thefront wall 8 and underneath the canopy 12. It also shows the floor railassembly 11. With the tube-style support members, a single piece ofsquare tubing can be used to form one of the tube-style support members3 that support the floor, whereas with the traditional bent rib design,due to the size limitations of the press brakes that are used to formthe bent ribs, more than one bent rib has to be joined togetherend-to-end to form the floor rib.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the truck body of the present invention. Thisfigure shows the floor 10′ top rail cap 7, forward wedged front wall 8,side-sloped canopy 12, and spill guard 16. As shown in this figure, theangle between the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall 6 andfloor 10, on the one hand, and the line formed by the juncture of theforward wedged front wall 8 and floor 10, on the other hand (shown inFIG. 7 as angle “A”), is greater than ninety (90) degrees. In thisfigure, the angle is approximately one hundred (100) degrees. Thepresent invention is not limited to any particular angle, although theangle must be greater than ninety (90) degrees and less than one hundredeight (180) degrees.

FIG. 8 is a right rear perspective view of the truck body of the presentinvention with an alternate embodiment of the front wall. In thisembodiment, the top approximate one-third of the front wall 18 is tiltedfurther forward (i.e., at a greater angle) than the rest of the frontwall 9. This embodiment might be used when there are loading heightrestrictions that make it impractical to construct a fill forward wedgedfront wall because the height of the sidewalls is limited. The partialtilt embodiment shown here achieves the same purpose as the full forwardwedged front wall because it includes in the material envelope of thetruck body material that would otherwise remain on the rear end of thecanopy.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of theside-sloped canopy with a peaked center section. In this embodiment, thecenter portion of the canopy is not flat, as shown in FIGS. 1-8.Instead, the canopy comprises a peaked center 14, which results in thecanopy having four sloped sides 13. Preferably, the two sloped sides 13that are farthest from the peaked center 14 are sloped at a greaterangle (i.e., steeper) than the two sloped sides 13 that are closest tothe peaked center 14. This configuration is particularly useful for morecohesive or sticky material, such as material that has a high claycontent or that is oil-impregnated, or material that contains largerocks or boulders that might not fall off of a side-sloped canopywithout the peaked center.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a traditional truck body without theforward wedged front wall or side-sloped canopy. The purpose of thisfigure is to illustrate the prior art. In a traditional truck body, boththe front wall 9 and canopy 15 are flat. In addition, the supportmembers are bent ribs 17 (as described in the Background section andshown in greater detail in FIG. 12), not tube-style support members.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a traditional truck body without the forwardwedged front wall or side-sloped canopy. As shown in this figure, theangle between the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall 6 andfloor 10, on the one hand, and the line formed by the juncture of theflat front wall 9 and floor 10, on the other hand (shown in FIG. 7 asangle “B”), is ninety (90) degrees. This ninety (90)-degree angle leadsto the material accumulation problems described above.

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view of a bent rib of a traditional truckbody. This figure illustrates the construction of a typical bent rib 17.As shown in this figure, the bent rib 17 comprises a single piece ofsteel that is bent to form the rib shape. The bent rib 17 is then weldedonto the outside of the sidewall 6, floor, front wall or canopy.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of a double-size tube-style supportmember of the truck body of the present invention. The tube-stylesupport member 3 shown here comprises two pieces of square tubing 4welded to a cover plate 5 a. The cover plate 5 a extends across the topof the two pieces of square tubing 4. There may be a space between thetwo pieces of square tubing 4, as shown in this figure, or they may beflush up against each other (not shown). The tube-style support member 3may also comprise a single piece of square tubing 4 (as shown in FIG.14), in which case no cover plate is necessary.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section view of a single-size tube-style supportmember. This tube-style support member 3 comprises a single piece ofsquare tubing 4. It is shown here flush up against the sidewall 6.Although FIGS. 13 and 14 show tube-style support members comprised oftwo and one piece(s) of square tubing, respectively, the presentinvention is not limited to any particular number of pieces of squaretubing in a single tube-style support member. For example, a singletube-style support member could be comprised of three or even fourpieces of square tubing, with a cover plate across them.

With the tube-style truck body, the strength and durability of the truckbody is greatly improved. One reason for this improvement in performanceis because with the tube-style support members, one side of the squaretubing 4 is flush against the structure that it is intended to support(e.g., the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy), thereby providingadditional structural integrity to and reducing the stress on the truckbody. In addition, the square tubing has superior resistance to bendingand twisting because of its box shape versus the open-side shape of thebent rib. The higher yield strength of the tube-style support members ascompared to the bent ribs has been proven through finite elementanalysis tests run on truck bodies with both types of structures.

Other advantages of the tube-style truck body include the fact that thetube-style support members may potentially weigh less than the bent ribsof a traditional truck body. The reason the tube-style support membersmay be lighter than the bent ribs is because a common way to improve thestrength of a bent rib is to increase the thickness of the steel platethat is used to create the rib. With a tube-style support member, due toits square shape, the steel does not have to be as thick to provide thesame degree of strength. The thickness of the square tubing is selectedbased on the anticipated life of the truck body and the load that itwill incur during that life.

Another advantage of the tube-style truck body is that it is easier tomanufacture and provides a better weld site than the traditional bentribs. The tube-style truck body is easier to manufacture because thesquare tubing is commercially available and does not require any changesother than in length. The square tubing does not have to be formed andbent, which greatly reduces manufacturing time and labor costs. Thetube-style truck body provides a better weld site than a bent ribbecause it intersects the outside of the truck box at a ninety(90)-degree angle and because the corners of the square tubing arerounded, which naturally produces a weld land between the flat plate andthe tubing.

Furthermore, the time associated with the manufacturing process isreduced with the tube-style support members because all of the piecesare consistent in size and shape, which is not necessarily the case withthe bent ribs. Because the bent ribs are formed on a press brake, theangles may change slightly from one bent rib to another. These slightdifferences in size require more labor during the process of fitting thecomponents together.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the truck body of the present inventioninstalled on a chassis with a tube-style tailgate. In this figure, thetailgate 20 is comprised of tube-style support members 3, which in turnare comprised of square tubing 4, as described above in connection withthe rest of the truck body. The tube-style support members 3 are used onthe rear panel 21 of the tailgate, as well as on the side panels 22, inlieu of the traditional bent ribs shown in FIG. 12. Single-sizetube-style support members or double-size tube-style support members, ora combination of each, can be used. The tailgate may be used with atube-style truck body or with a conventional truck body.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, steel I-beams areused in lieu of the square steel tubing. FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate thisembodiment. As shown in these figures, steel I-beams 23 may be usedinstead of the square steel tubing 4 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In thisembodiment, each I-beam-style support member 24 comprises one or moreI-beams 23. The double-size I-beam-style support member also includes acover plate 5 a. A difference between this embodiment and the tube-styleembodiment described above is that the sides of the I-beam-style supportmembers 24 are open, whereas the sides of the tube-style support membersare closed. In addition, the I-beam-style support members have extrasupport through the middle of each I-beam, whereas the tube-stylesupport members have extra support along the sides of each tube, asshown in FIGS. 13-14 and 16-17. The I-beam-style embodiment offers manyof the same advantages as described above for the tube-style embodiment.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenshown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat many changes and modifications may be made without departing fromthe invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are thereforeintended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

1. An off-highway truck body comprising a plurality of tube-stylesupport members, wherein each tube-style support member comprises one ormore pieces of square tubing, wherein the truck body comprises at leastone sidewall, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, and wherein one sideof each tube-style support member is welded to the outside of thesidewall, floor, front wall or canopy.
 2. The off-highway truck body ofclaim 1, wherein the pieces of square tubing are comprised of steel. 3.The off-highway truck body of claim 1, wherein each tube-style supportmember that comprises at least two pieces of square tubing furthercomprises a cover plate that extends across the top side of the twopieces of square tubing for the length of the square tubing.
 4. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a forward wedgedfront wall, wherein the front wall is wedged forward such that the anglebetween the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall and floor andthe line formed by the juncture of the forward wedged front wall andfloor is greater than ninety (90) degrees and less than one hundredeighty (180) degrees.
 5. The off-highway truck body of claim 1, furthercomprising a front wall, wherein the entire front wall is tiltedforward, and wherein the top approximate one-third (⅓) of the front wallis tilted forward at a greater angle than the rest of the front wall. 6.The off-highway truck body of claim 1, further comprising a side-slopedcanopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises two sides that areangled downward and a center section that is flat.
 7. The off-highwaytruck body of claim 1, further comprising a side-sloped canopy, whereinthe side-sloped canopy comprises a peaked center and four sloped sides,wherein two of the sloped sides are on either side of the peaked center,wherein all of the sloped sides are angled downward, and wherein the twosloped sides farthest from the peaked center are sloped at a greaterangle than the two sloped sides closest to the peaked center.
 8. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, furthercomprising a tailgate, wherein the tailgate is comprised of one or moretube-style support members, wherein each tube-style support membercomprises one or more pieces of square tubing, and wherein the squaretubing is comprised of steel.
 9. The off-highway truck body of claim 8,wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel and two side panels, andwherein each of the rear panel and side panels comprises at least onetube-style support member.
 10. An off-highway truck body comprising aplurality of I-beam-style support members, wherein each I-beam-stylesupport member comprises one or more steel I-beams, wherein each I-beamcomprises two flat sides and two open sides, wherein the truck bodycomprises at least one sidewall, a floor, a front wall and a canopy, andwherein one side of each I-beam-style support member is welded to theoutside of the sidewall, floor, front wall or canopy.
 11. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 10, wherein the flat side of each I-beamthat is not welded to the outside of the sidewall, floor, front wall orcanopy is called the top side, and wherein each I-beam-style supportmember that comprises at least two I-beams further comprises a coverplate that extends across the top sides of the two I-beams.
 12. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a forward wedgedfront wall, wherein the front wall is wedged forward such that the anglebetween the line formed by the juncture of the sidewall and floor andthe line formed by the juncture of the forward wedged front wall andfloor is greater than ninety (90) degrees and less than one hundredeighty (180) degrees.
 13. The off-highway truck body of claim 10,further comprising a front wall, wherein the entire front wall is tiltedforward, and wherein the top approximate one-third (⅓) of the front wallis tilted forward at a greater angle than the rest of the front wall.14. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising aside-sloped canopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises two sidesthat are angled downward and a center section that is flat.
 15. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 10, further comprising a side-slopedcanopy, wherein the side-sloped canopy comprises a peaked center andfour sloped sides, wherein two of the sloped sides are on either side ofthe peaked center, wherein all of the sloped sides are angled downward,and wherein the two sloped sides farthest from the peaked center aresloped at a greater angle than the two sloped sides closest to thepeaked center.
 16. The off-highway truck body of claim 10, 11, 12, 13,14, or 15, further comprising a tailgate, wherein the tailgate iscomprised of one or more I-beam-style support members, and wherein eachI-beam-style support member comprises one or more steel I-beams.
 17. Theoff-highway truck body of claim 16, wherein the tailgate comprises arear panel and two side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel andside panels comprises at least one I-beam-style support member.
 18. Atailgate comprised of one or more tube-style support members, whereineach tube-style support member comprises one or more pieces of squaretubing, and wherein the square tubing is comprised of steel.
 19. Thetailgate of claim 18, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel andtwo side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panelscomprises at least one tube-style support member.
 20. A tailgatecomprised of one or more I-beam-style support members, wherein eachI-beam-style support member comprises one or more steel I-beams.
 21. Thetailgate of claim 20, wherein the tailgate comprises a rear panel andtwo side panels, and wherein each of the rear panel and side panelscomprises at least one I-beam-style support member.